While nature has inspired many man-made creations , the developers of Eco Sanctuary take that concept to new heights with the development of a luxurious condominium that attempts to emulate the ecology of its surroundings.
Ecologically-themed gardens wrap around the residences, including the Papillon Path, Sunbird Walk, Dragonfly Walk and Lotus Creek. This nature corridor culminates at the Butterfly Gate, which links to the great outdoors. The landscape is designed to integrate with the adjacent park and leads to a cycling and jogging trail as well as the Central Catchment Reserve.
True to its green inspiration, the Eco Sanctuary aims to achieve the BCA Greenmark Platinum standard that will not only help you save on utility bills but also promote sustainability. Some of these features include lifts with a sleep mode, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation with rain sensor and motion sensors.
The three towers comprise 483 apartments of one, two, three and four-bedroom units featuring high ceilings at 3.4 metres. The condominium will incorporate resort-style recreational facilities, including sky terraces, a sky bridge with a panoramic view, a gymnasium, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a clubhouse and alfresco decks. The sky terraces at each tower offer you gourmet dining rooms, cocktail bars and massage spas for private parties. Hammocks and cabanas are also available for those who just want to relax.
The clubhouse, meanwhile, is planned around a hexagonal sculptural pool on the inside. From the outside, the entire structure appears to float above the swimming pool.
The 13,000 sqft club has one studio which offers a variety of classes including group suspension training and freestyle movement training classes. The club has a dedicated free weight and freestyle training area plus an open cycling studio where 30 minutes express classes operate during lunch and evening time.
If you work around the area, MBFC is a short 5-10 minutes walk from Fitness First Platinum Club at One Raffles Quay, giving Passport members even more choice in workout options.
The club's full length windows overlook the Marina Bay financial district, offering a view to members working out at the free weight area and cardio area (over 40 pieces of cardio equipment).
Set to open in August 2012, Mambo will be the perfect beach front destination if you are looking for a relaxed upscale casual ocean front experience with a touch of sophistication and elegance, with friends or family. Drawing its inspiration from the classic 50’s beach bars in Miami, Cuba and the Caribbean, Mambo will feature delicious grilled seafood, classic cocktails and a fun-loving atmosphere, providing a vacation-like getaway from the city's constant hustle and bustle.
Located on Siloso Beach, Singapore's hippest beach, it will be the next place for fun-loving people, day and night.
Get into your favourite bikini and take a dip. Themed bars abound, you can surf a man-made wave or chill-out in a whirlpool bath on the beach. A host of shopping options awaits, as well as tempting all-day menus from exceptional bistros and restaurants.
Siloso is synonymous with volleyball and courts are available free on a first-come-first-served basis. You can also try your hand at skim-boarding or kayaking, as well as cycling, rollerblading and other exciting beach activities.
After dark, Siloso really comes alive, with parties, music, lively bars and restaurants celebrating the beach lifestyle long into the night, every night.
Some changes are to be made at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

 It will be developed into Chestnut Nature Park, aiming to make nature more accessible.
The new park will be very convenient for nature walks, hiking and mountain biking. It hosts a rich biodiversity of wildlife, including the mouse deer, pangolin, monitor lizard and birds.
There will be panoramic views of the nature reserve to be enjoyed at a new seven-storey tower which will also facilitate research on animals that live among the tree canopies. A 30-kilometre cycling loop allowing residents to cycle from the heartlands to the nature reserves by 2018. Native plants and trees will be planted in early 2015.
Nature reserves will become more accessible. The intention is to bring nature closer to people and people closer to nature. It will give you the opportunity to experience nature at your homes. 
These developments, are part of Singapore's transformation into a City in a Garden, aiming at enriching biodiversity.
For those who rather appreciate nature from the comforts of their own home, there's good news.

 NParks plans to install four cameras around the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve from mid-September.
 You will be able can catch live footage of otters frolicking in a pond via their computers or mobile phones.
The 2nd Pure Fitness club arrives at Asia Square in January 2012. Located in the heart of the Marina Bay area it is twice the size of their first club at Knightsbridge.
In this 32,000 sq-ft space, discover advanced and innovative equipment & programmes from around the world. Expect world-class design and service synonymous with the Pure brand. Enjoy thrilling new facilities only available at this Pure Fitness - their most incredible concept club yet to provide you with the most exceptional workout experience ever.
This brand new concept club raises the bar in premium global fitness:
Over 32,000 sq-ft space with world-class design features; 3 Group Fitness studios offering over 130 classes weekly; stylish, intelligently conceived endless swimming pool; Dedicated athletic area with 4 x 35m indoor running track; Stretch & Power zone equipped with complete series of tools such as Kettlebells, Bulgarian Bags and Medicine Balls; Mixed Martial Arts Zone with Competition Octagon for serious boxer, kickboxer and grappler; Core & Recovery Zone with dedicated stretch equipment Heart Rate Cardio Zone and dedicated VO2 testing area equipped with the latest assessment system; Innovative programmes administered by professionals who all hold internationally accredited fitness certifications; Private consultation rooms for Nutrition & Fitness Assessment; Juice Bar & Relaxation Lounge; Complimentary Wi-Fi access, refreshments, T-shirt, shorts, towels & socks!
In addition it will also boast:
New and unique classes like Aerial Arts Classes.
2 x Group Fitness Studios and 1 Indoor Cycling Studio hosting over 130 classes weekly in more than 20 different class formats.
International team of certified instructors teaching world-standard freestyle classes and renowned Les Mills programmes.
TRX and Pole Dancing classes available in both GX studios - capacity for over 20 poles in Studio 1. Supervised Pole Dancing weekend practice sessions available for all levels affording participants every opportunity to perfect their moves.
Largest indoor cycling studio in Singapore equipped with 40 Keiser Bikes, plus state-of-the-art lighting, sound system and digital technology.
Special Express Workout classes available midday to accommodate various needs - time-constrained clients can opt for one quick but highly effective 30-min session; those with more time can combine a few sessions to create a circuit-like format.
Outdoor running and walking clubs, and outdoor Boot Camp available, with a beautiful vista of Marina Bay.
Asia Square is a new premium integrated commercial development located in the heart of Marina Bay. Fostering a winning lifestyle equation for office tenants, Asia Square offers an optimal balance of Work, Play, Live and Grow elements to ensure a balanced and inspiring work environment. Its 2 million square feet of prime Grade A office space is designed with floor plates spanning up to 35,000 square feet - the largest in Marina Bay's new downtown - to create a more connected community at work. Added to this is the exclusive five-star luxury business hotel with over 300 rooms integrated within the development, its impressive sense of arrival at the 100,000-square-foot fully sheltered landscaped plaza called The Cube, ideal for events, exhibitions & roadshows.
To enable people to have more leisure time amongst greenery and nature, the National Parks Board is adding on to its existing 110 km of Park Connectors Network – an island-wide network of linear open spaces around major residential areas that links parks and nature sites in Singapore.
The new 63 km route is currently in the midst of construction, and locals will be able to enjoy afternoons of cycling, walking or jogging along a hefty 300 km of green corridors around the island when it is completed in 2015. No matter where you live in Singapore, you can begin your outdoor walks or cycling trips at a Park Connector in your area.
Some existing Park Connectors that you can consider as starting points for your activities include the Bedok Park Connector in the east, the Sembawang Park Connector in the north, the Kallang Park Connector in the south, and the Bukit Batok East Park Connector in the west of Singapore.
Whether you live, work or shop in Tampines, Fitness First's first club in the East of Singapore is a must-have on your itinerary to getting and staying fit!
Spanning 22,500sqft, this large 2-floor club located at the heart of Tampines comes fully equipped with a large state-of-the-art gym, over 60 pieces of cardio equipment (steppers, bikes, treadmills, rowers etc), Technogym resistance machines, two free-weights areas, 3 studios (including a cycling studio and a beautiful zen inspired Mind and Body studio) and dedicated free-style areas on the gym floor. Highly qualified personal trainers are at hand to help members get results fast
Members enjoy unlimited access to a wide range of Group Exercises classes at no extra charge. From dance to yoga, Bodycombat® to Bodypump®, there is a class to suit every body type, need and preference. A cycling studio hosts Les Mill's famous RPM™ classes which are renowned for being excellent calorie burners and good training grounds for cyclists of any form –from amateur leisure cyclists to experienced outdoor triathletes. Yoga enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice with the large variety of yoga classes held in our calm and elegant Mind and Body studio.
The experience doesn't end after the workout. Relaxation zones include steam and sauna, complimentary rental from the DVD movie library and a large member's lounge where members can chill or hang out in-between workouts.
This is an all-round club with a large range of equipment and facilities to suit every need.
Tampines 1 Tampines Central, CPF Building #04-01 & #05-01
Punggol Promenade is a 5-kilometre long public waterfront promenade serving as a key pedestrian connector for the future Punggol Waterfront Town. Environmental improvement works include an arrival plaza next to the existing beach, a water lily pond park, fishing platforms leaning over the water edge and bridge crossings over canals. Application of sustainable building materials such as GRC simulated concrete, laterite and oxidised steel throughout the promenade makes for an environmentally friendly development.
The newly opened portion of the $16.7-million Punggol Promenade, located along the eastern bank of Serangoon Reservoir is a result of 2 years of construction; the groundbreaking for the riverfront recreational area took place in 2009.
The estuary of Sungei Serangoon was dammed in 2009 to form the reservoir. The 4.9km promenade has been designated a recreational space for residents in the area. It also links Punggol Point to Punggol East and joins up further south with the park connectors along Serangoon Reservoir and Punggol Reservoir. Only its Riverside Walk portion is accessible currently.
Officially opened recently, it is just a short walk from Riviera LRT station. Three food and beverage outlets - a bistro, a seafood restaurant and a fast-food outlet - have also opened in the area. The Riverside Walk features exercise stations, designated cycling and jogging tracks and lookout points that allow visitors to get closer to the water.
The next phase of construction will include a driving range and other facilities. Two other zones, the Nature Walk and Punggol Point Walk, are expected to open later in the year.Nature lovers will also be drawn to the promenade. It is connected by a bridge over Serangoon Reservoir to Lorong Halus Wetland, a biodiversity haven for flora and fauna such as the White-breasted Waterhen and the Striated Heron, also known as the Little Heron. Formerly part of a landfill, it has been converted into an educational site and aims to be a sanctuary for plants, birds and other wildlife.
Singapore Changi Airport aims to reduce consumption of electricity and use more of recycled water at its terminal buildings over the next three years, as part of its contribution towards environmental sustainability. As part of Changi Airport Group’s (CAG) plan to set up an Environmental Management System based on ISO 14001 standards, CAG has established a set of targets to cut energy use and to increase the proportion of recycled water used at Changi. This was announced at the launch of CAG’s ‘Changi Goes Green’ environment recently, in conjunction with Clean and Green Singapore.
Conserving Energy
Despite round the clock operations and increasing air traffic at Changi, CAG continues to put in conscious effort to conserve energy and increase its efficiency. Various initiatives have been implemented, including dimming lights at airport terminals by as much as 50% during off-peak hours, using natural lighting where possible, and installing motion sensors in areas such as toilets and offices to conserve electricity.
Currently, Changi Airport’s annual terminal building electricity consumption is about 450 million kWh. The established energy target sets the direction for CAG, as it continues to provide a first-class experience for its users in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner. The target will see Changi Airport reducing its terminal buildings’ electricity usage by about 13.5 million kWh, generating savings of about S$2.4 million over the next three years.
Recycling Water
Currently, already less than half of Changi Airport’s water usage comes from potable sources. Recycled water from rainwater is used for irrigating plants at Changi Airport’s nursery and external landscape areas, while NEWater is used for airport fire-fighting, sanitation and cooling of air conditioning chillers. Other efforts to conserve water include the installation of tap flow regulators in all toilet taps in the airport, which limit water flow from six litres per minute to two litres per minute. CAG will continue to explore means to increase the use of recycled water in its water resource management. The water target set will see Changi Airport increase the proportion of its recycled water usage from 55% to 58% over the next three years.
Beyond the energy and water targets, CAG aims to attain the BCA Green Mark Gold certification for Terminal 2 as well as the Singapore Environment Council’s Green Office Label for its corporate offices in 2011.
Planting of Changi Tree
The Changi tree or Hopea Sangal, which used to be a landmark of what is now known as the Changi area, has set its roots in Changi Airport. The tree was thought to be extinct in Singapore until its re-discovery in September 2002 when a 150 year old specimen was felled illegally. Through conservation efforts by National Parks and the Nature Society, saplings of the Changi tree can be found in the Singapore Zoological Gardens, Botanic Gardens and Changi Museum. To continue this conservation effort and in recognition of its heritage, CAG’s management and staff have planted saplings of the Changi tree in the airport grounds as part of the ‘Changi Goes Green’ programme. The trees will serve as a symbol of CAG’s commitment to environmental sustainability into the future.
Changi Airport handled 37.2 million passenger movements in 2009 and registered a monthly record of 3.83 million in December 2009. Presently, Changi serves 98 airlines flying to some 200 cities in about 60 countries and territories worldwide. A flight takes off or lands at Changi every two minutes.
Changi Airport, 75 Changi Boulevard
A NEW recycling plant that makes the production of solar cells even greener was opened this month. The $100 million Tuas facility, set up by Norway's Metallkraft, is mainly to recycle material used at the world's biggest integrated solar cell complex, also in Tuas. That $2.6 billion facility, set up by fellow Norwegian firm Renewable Energy Corp (REC) has also now been officially opened.
The main function of Metallkraft's facility is to recycle REC's spent slurry, a liquid used to cut silicon wafers, which would otherwise become industrial waste. This recycling will be done without adding any chemicals or producing waste streams. REC can then use the recycled slurry instead of fresh slurry.
Metallkraft said its proprietary process can recycle 100 per cent of spent slurry.
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